Sir,
I feel I have to reply to the recent spate of letters referring to the cost of living in Cyprus by certain expats on the island. The Australians have an apt saying for Brits living in their country: “Whinging Poms”. It seems that they are now living here in Cyprus too. I am also British and have decided to come to Cyprus to live. My wife and I chose to live on this wonderful Island because we love the people and their way of life, and of course the weather.
We both work for excellent companies with excellent people who are very professional, we earn half the salary we were used to in the UK, but here we have money left over at the end of the month and not month left over at the end of the money.
Why do Brits moan about the cost of living? Does it matter how much a tin of beans cost? If you have to have Heinz you have to pay extra for them, when Cyprus make their own brand which is far superior to the manufactured variety from the UK containing ‘E’ additives galore! Surely Cyprus has the perfect tomato! And there are only so many ways to cook a bean for heaven’s sake! Do you not realise how many beautiful fruits and vegetables are on offer to you every day and so fresh and unspoiled too – and at a fraction of the cost in the UK. Isn’t it about time you started to look to the Cypriot way of life, as you choose to live here, and learn from them about good food?
I’m very surprised that one letter writer complained about the cost of his pork chop meal. He obviously failed to read the menu first.
We have nothing but praise for local Cypriot restaurants, but then we always choose to eat where the locals eat, as that is always a good recommendation. Perhaps you should also go off the beaten track some time and taste real Cyprus instead of trying to change what is not yours to change.
One should always cut one’s coat according to their cloth, so to speak and therefore be able to live comfortably after splashing out on the house, and not complain about the cost of actual living afterwards.
To conclude, I have only one thing to add to the Whinging Poms: this is not your Country, it belongs to the Cypriots, you chose to live here, and I would like to think for the same reasons as us. You do have the option of returning to the UK with its high taxes, highly priced services, bad weather and ‘E’ numbers galore in their food. Above all else don’t try to change this wonderful Island to suit you, you won’t succeed! If you did you would upset a lot of happily settled British people like us.
Chris and Linda Othen
Kolossi
